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I dont think BR is too worried about losing Askren to the UFC but he would like a positive spin out of it.

If Askren was signed and given an immidiate title shot it would validate Bellator camps (as legit threats to UFC champs) and get a boring fighter out of Bellators hair.

Exactly! This is Bellator's chance to call out the UFC. If the UFC doesn't sign him Rebney could say that Dana was protecting there champ and that the UFC is sports entertainment while Bellator is a REAL sport. or something like that. If they do sign Askren and give him a shot, then it legitimizes Bellator to a degree, but only if the fight is competitive or Askren actually pulls off the upset win. Crazy thing is, I think he COULD get a decision from GSP. Especially if GSP tries to "prove" that his wrestling is superior. I think that would be a fatal mistake against Askren because Askren doesn't hold positions for long his strength lies in his scrambling. The UFC has a lot to loose if Askren can beat GSP, not much to loose by looking like pussies.

"I don't call the fighting in my films 'violent', I call it 'action'. An action film borders between fantasy and reality. If I were to be completely realistic in my films, you would call me a violent, bloody man. I would simply destroy my opponent by tearing his guts out. I wouldn't do it so artistically." ~Bruce Lee

Exactly! This is Bellator's chance to call out the UFC. If the UFC doesn't sign him Rebney could say that Dana was protecting there champ and that the UFC is sports entertainment while Bellator is a REAL sport. or something like that. If they do sign Askren and give him a shot, then it legitimizes Bellator to a degree, but only if the fight is competitive or Askren actually pulls off the upset win. Crazy thing is, I think he COULD get a decision from GSP. Especially if GSP tries to "prove" that his wrestling is superior. I think that would be a fatal mistake against Askren because Askren doesn't hold positions for long his strength lies in his scrambling. The UFC has a lot to loose if Askren can beat GSP, not much to loose by looking like pussies.

Or their dull fighter gets fed to the sharks and A) wins and they look good or B) lose and they cut dead weight???

What the fuck man, that slave contract bellator has is bullshit. God I hope they fail and close down soon!

Yeah bellator is like totally the only company with contracts and the such. I am sure if Anderson wanted to box Roy Jones somewhere that the UFC would let that happen. Sorry but bellator is doing a ok. I hope askren does get out of said contract but if not he should use this time improving his game.

Plus on the spin yo I don't see how this makes bellator look good. It says we have this champ who is good enough to fight for a title but we can't sign him b/c our welter weights are shit!

Last I checked, Ben Askren is a Duke Roufus camp fighter, so if anything, it legitimizes Roufussports much further. He just happens to be Bellator WW champ. It doesnt mean anything to Bellator if Askren were to beat GSP. Bellator didnt make Askren the skilled fighter he is. Hell, they never even bothered to market him one bit. All it would prove is that Duke Roufus and Roufussports is better than Firas and the Tri-Star camp if Askren were to beat GSP.

What is Rebney gonna say if Askren were to beat GSP?
"Our WW champ went over to the UFC and beat their longtime WW champ, GSP, proving that Bellator had better fighters all along. We're proud of Ben Askren, and even more so now that he will be a famous star, and heavily marketed fighter by the UFC hype machine, bringing in tons of money for our rival"

But with that said, I think there's something to be made about level of competition he's faced, not a murderer's row by any stretch of the imagination. His run in Bellator has only really included one top twenty fighter in Hieron, which I don't think is enough to earn him a shot at GSP, although I'd love to see that fight. If they didn't do it for Lombard, who was coming in so hot with his massive winning streak(albeit mostly over cans), I can't see ZUFFA paying Askren a nice chunk at this juncture, since he's so unproven against UFC caliber opposition. I mean, I think you could take the top 15 fighters in the UFC WW division and give them Askren's matchups and you'd have guys who'd be called "Bellator WW Champions", so I don't think he's gotten to a place where he can get an immediate title shot.

But regardless of whether or not ZUFFA'd be willing to give him an immediate shot at GSP, there's no fucking way I'd trust Rebney. I'd recommend sitting out and wait until the period is up to negotiate freely with the UFC.

One thing that will be on Askren's side in all of this has to be Maia's loss. As IMO, a convincing win from Maia would've almost definitely ensured a GSP/Maia match next up, which would've clogged up contention with guys like the winner of Rory/Lawler and Condit/Brown being able to make a solid argument. Now with Maia out of the picture, and the number of GSP defences seemingly dwindling due to the unsustainablity of his camps and his desire to leave while in his prime, Askren could very well get the next in line, as I think that only Matt Brown and MAYBE Robbie Lawler would get a title shot with their next win(unsure if Rory/GSP would happen, but that'd be a fucking superfight IMO) and I don't see either Brown or Lawler wins happening.....that said, I think they push Brown to the title shot if its between him coming off a win against Condit or Askren.

I'll keep saying it but Askren is an absolute nightmare for many of the guys in the top 10 who can't get away from great wrestlers. Condit, Diaz, Lawler, Brown, and Kampmann would likely have a really difficult time with his control.

Saying his strength is in his scrambles is ridiculous. Askren's strength is in his absolute amoeba-like movement and control once he grabs you. You can't shake him and he's willing to put himself into any position to keep a hold. He's like a hoodie when you're 5 years-old the way you can't find the light and it's all over you.

I think Lima's solidly in the top 15-20 and would have moderate success in the UFC facing lesser wrestlers.

You say shark I say hey man, Jaws was never my scene and I don't like Star Wars